Historical Event of the Century

While writing this article, July 20, 2009, is the 40th anniversary of the first landing on the moon. Among some of the greatest

words that have ever been quoted was the words of Neil Armstrong when he stepped out of the space ship into thick dust on the moon and said "One small step for man- one giant leap for mankind." History was made that day, not

only for our great nation, but the world. I can remember many were skeptic, doubting that man had actually landed on the moon. Later, they were proven wrong. One of the greatest events that has ever occurred for our country and one of the saddest days of my life.

Because, on July 20th, 1969, my precious mother slipped in

the bathtub, hitting the back of her head on the bathtub faucets cutting a small gash. My sister called me to come and check her head. I remember when I arrived, her hair was still wet as I checked her head. I remember

putting her shoes on and she said "I can always depend on Maudie and Reuben, my husband, so we could take her to the hospital to be checked.

It was on a Sunday, and the doctor was two hours late getting to the hospital. The nurse on duty said we'd put her in a room until he arrived. As we were walking down the hall with her in a wheelchair, she made the remark "I don't even have my pocketbook," known today as purses

or handbags. Those were the last words she ever said.

Later, she started having convulsions and the doctor sent her to a Waco hospital where she underwent brain surgery. Afterward, he said that if he could have operated sooner, it would have made a great difference. And, for six days she was in a coma before she passed away on July 26.

I remember when we started back to Mexia, late at night, and looking up at the moon. It really seemed so surreal, at that time, that something of this gigantic

news had occurred.

I remember when Walter Cronkite, America's beloved anchorman, who passed away recently, announcing the historic news and removing his glasses and saying "wow." And using his closing words, "And that's the way it was on Sunday July 20th, 1969.